Freshly washed, new clothing, A'hali's back at his weyr with Sorvani after talking to Francis. Drex isn't around, so either he's in the underbelly of the ship where all the supports for the shipweyr rests or not here at all right now. Either way the introductions A'hali promised will have to wait. The area also is REALLY CLEAN, even the little cages that hold A'hali's healing pets have been put into order. "Clean." Just in case Sorvani didn't notice.

"Yes." Sorvani acknowledges simply, as she follows him in. It is clean, as was his cell in the brig. "A'hali. I love you." Seeing as they are in private she's totally going to seize this opportunity. "But why the fuck did you think it was a good idea to invite a pirate to live with you?" She's hoping he had enough conversation with Drex to have picked up more than just the man’s name, and the fact he was looking for work.

Hal keeps walking for a few steps, going to check on his animals, before Sorvani's words seep in enough. Turning he raises an eyebrow, "A pirate?" The confusion in his voice is completely clear. It should be obvious that A'hali didn't actually ask more than exactly what her meta said. "He helped the healer and I. And bought me a drink." He's going to keep going now and bend down to check the tunnel snake.

Sorvani is just going to follow along, washing her face with anxious hands. "I suspected as much. Yes, Drex is or was a pirate." She informs him gently. "The first time I met him was in the Brig. He was behind the bars, I was bringing dinner. It was a bit…distressing." On account of a small riot. So it's not so much stranger-danger, but actual danger she's responding too.

A'hali's not so stupid as to reach into the tunnelsnake's cage, just lifts up the cover that keeps the thing in dark, assures himself that the creature is okay, and then lets it drop again. He's taking his time before giving any answer to the woman behind him. Finally, "He was released from the brig?"

"I guess so." Sorvani's hands drop as she shrugs helplessly. "I came across him in the stores once too. He was lost." See Sorvani helps people! It is her turn to perpetuate the long awkward silence as she formulates what she wants to say next. She is pretty beat. "He reminds me of my father." She whispers eventually. "Not in looks, but …somehow." Which is why Sorvani is unhappy. "Oh. And Francis can't know."

A'hali has his back to her as he checks on the last of the animals. A deep sigh as he straightens and turns towards her. He examines her from top to bottom in that overly deliberate way that he has of looking at the world. Finally he steps forward and wraps his arms around her firmly, pulling her against his chest. "He wanted a job."

Sorvani has so far done a really good job of keeping it together, but exhaustion is catching up to her and as her arms come up around him, so does her quiet tired tears. "I got a fright, and Francis was there…and she drew a knife." It could have gone so much worse, and that's what has given her such a scare. "I couldn't stay. Sorry."

Leaning slightly A'hali kisses the top of Sorvani's head gently, letting his lips rest there comfortably. "Wouldn't bring someone I thought would hurt you." A'hali promises this quietly, though, to be honest, he didn't really run a background check on Drex before offering the man the ability to crash on his couch. "Mendel took us in." Sorvani might make the leap to include not just A'hali but Brittany and Aly also. "I pay it forward." First Ferdinand, and now Drex. Sorvani was a LITTLE more complicated.

Sorvani is always going to take great comfort in the closeness that A'hali offers, so she'll stand there leaning into him as her tears ease. "Not everyone is like you Hal." She points out softly. Then she lifts her head from his chest to frown up at him, her eyes drawn to his face. "Am I…someone you've taken in to pay it forward?" She wouldn't normally seek the reassurance, but there has been a lot to take in over the past couple of nights.

A'hali cups Sorvani's face in his hands, thumbs brushing against her cheek reassuringly. "Everyone deserves a chance." Even former pirates, though the large man isn't going to point out that distinction. Maybe he'll talk to Drex later to get a promise, but he suspects that Sorvani wouldn't trust a promise from a former pirate. More softly. "My original offer, during the greenflights. Yes." Hopelessly truthful at heart. "But not now. I love you."

"I love you too." Sorvani manages to get her mouth working enough to reply in a husky tone. Those thumbs are just slightly more than reassuring. "And I'll trust you." About chances, and the pirate on the couch. "I was really looking forward to coming home to you last night." She'll toss that in there as well, one hand rising to cover the hand cupping her face.

"I'm sorry." Real regret there for missing out on being there at night. A smile slowly grows on his face, though he has GOT to be tired after staying up all night and the day before flying out to Black Rock and back. "Make it up to you?" There's a bit of wickedness in that question. "Wingleader gave me the day off."

"I'm sorry too." Sorvani really was looking forward to it. There is an answering mischievous twinkle in her dark eyes for A'hali's wickedness. "You better." She mock-scolds, her days have been almost as long as his. Turning her head slightly she kisses the heel of his palm. "There's just us here…" She observes, turning her head back to watch him.

Only such a newly formed bond like A'hali and Sorvani's could be distracted from such a scary event by the promise of very close interactions in the middle of the day. Or maybe its stress that has A'hali bodily picking Sorvani up and carrying her into his particular room and closing the doorway behind him. Any other disturbing talk is going to have to WAIT.